The lecture video recording in university: A case study

The latest European statistics show that Italy has the second lowest percentage of university graduates because of different reasons such as the outdated teaching methodologies or the high costs of university tuitions. Hence, Italian universities have launched several projects to improve or innovate the pedagogical strategies, to raise the student recruitment and to increase access to education. In this work, we describe a pilot study about the use of the video recording of the traditional lessons in order to create specific university MOOCs. In particular, the degree course in Computer Science of University of Naples Federico II is involved in this project. The use of the lecture video recording reduces the MOOC costs and facilitates the contents management. In fact, the production of these MOOCs does not require professional operators so it is possible to involve students of university part-time job or Civil Service volunteers. The results show a good satisfaction by students and prove as these MOOCs can support the university teaching

Empathy Activators: Teaching Tools for Enhancing Empathy Development in Service-Learning Classes

On February 5, 2016, 25 educators from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of Richmond (UR) gathered in Richmond, Virginia, for an annual service-learning workshop. This year’s workshop featured Robin Everhart, PhD, VCU assistant professor of psychology, as keynote speaker. Jumpstarted by Everhart’s research on student empathy, workshop participants explored the concept of empathy and collaboratively developed strategies for integrating empathy into the service-learning experience. This document grows out of Everhart’s presentation and group discussions during that workshop and represents a collection of ideas generated

Statistical pairwise interaction model of stock market

Financial markets are a classical example of complex systems as they comprise many interacting stocks. As such, we can obtain a surprisingly good description of their structure by making the rough simplification of binary daily returns. Spin glass models have been applied and gave some valuable results but at the price of restrictive assumptions on the market dynamics or others are agent-based models with rules designed in order to recover some empirical behaviours. Here we show that the pairwise model is actually a statistically consistent model with observed first and second moments of the stocks orientation without making such restrictive assumptions. This is done with an approach based only on empirical data of price returns. Our data analysis of six major indices suggests that the actual interaction structure may be thought as an Ising model on a complex network with interaction strengths scaling as the inverse of the system size. This has potentially important implications since many properties of such a model are already known and some techniques of the spin glass theory can be straightforwardly applied. Typical behaviours, as multiple equilibria or metastable states, different characteristic time scales, spatial patterns, order-disorder, could find an explanation in this picture.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure

Measurement of the quality factor of a new low-frequency differential accelerometer for testing the equivalence principle

A cryogenic differential accelerometer has been developed to test the weak equivalence principle to a few parts in 1015 within the framework of the general relativity accuracy test in an Einstein elevator experiment. The prototype sensor was designed to identify, address, and solve the major issues associated with various aspects of the experiment. This paper illustrates the measurements conducted on this prototype sensor to attain a high quality factor (Q ∼ 105) at low frequencies (<20 Hz). Such a value is necessary for reducing the Brownian noise to match the target acceleration noise of 10−14 g/√Hz, hence providing the desired experimental accuracy.AstronomyPhysic

Spectral Theory of Sparse Non-Hermitian Random Matrices

Sparse non-Hermitian random matrices arise in the study of disordered physical systems with asymmetric local interactions, and have applications ranging from neural networks to ecosystem dynamics. The spectral characteristics of these matrices provide crucial information on system stability and susceptibility, however, their study is greatly complicated by the twin challenges of a lack of symmetry and a sparse interaction structure. In this review we provide a concise and systematic introduction to the main tools and results in this field. We show how the spectra of sparse non-Hermitian matrices can be computed via an analogy with infinite dimensional operators obeying certain recursion relations. With reference to three illustrative examples -- adjacency matrices of regular oriented graphs, adjacency matrices of oriented Erd\H{o}s-R\'{e}nyi graphs, and adjacency matrices of weighted oriented Erd\H{o}s-R\'{e}nyi graphs -- we demonstrate the use of these methods to obtain both analytic and numerical results for the spectrum, the spectral distribution, the location of outlier eigenvalues, and the statistical properties of eigenvectors.Comment: 60 pages, 10 figure

Capillary rising damp in Venetian context : state of the art and numerical simulation

The fragility of Venice and its buildings are linked to the floods, observed since ancient times and emphasized in recent years: the periodic sea level rise, accompanied by rising damp, are the main causes of the alteration. In particular, the rising damp causes a series of complex diseases in the historic buildings, such as physical decay, chemical or biological, with loss of aesthetic and economic value. In addition, greater heat dispersion and reduced thermal comfort can also occur in interior spaces, with consequent risks for human health. This is a sign of “Sick Building Syndrome”. It is very important to develop models for assessing the vulnerability of assets and to manage sustainable plans related to maintenance processes and activities, satisfying the requirements of effectiveness and compatibility.Basing on numerical models performed with the WUFI 2D software, the paper analyses the different behavior of rising damp in relation to materials or masonry structures. In particular, the construction techniques and typical materials used in Venetian buildings were investigated, such as clay brick walls, lime plaster, Marmorino and Cocciopesto, adopted mainly to limit the capillary rise also caused by the phenomenon of “acqua alta”

Challenging claims in the study of migratory birds and climate change

Recent shifts in phenology in response to climate change are well established but often poorly understood. Many animals integrate climate change across a spatially and temporally dispersed annual life cycle, and effects are modulated by ecological interactions, evolutionary change and endogenous control mechanisms. Here we assess and discuss key statements emerging from the rapidly developing study of changing spring phenology in migratory birds. These well-studied organisms have been instrumental for understanding climate-change effects, but research is developing rapidly and there is a need to attack the big issues rather than risking affirmative science. Although we agree poorly on the support for most claims, agreement regarding the knowledge basis enables consensus regarding broad patterns and likely causes. Empirical data needed for disentangling mechanisms are still scarce, and consequences at a population level and on community composition remain unclear. With increasing knowledge, the overall support (‘consensus view’) for a claim increased and between-researcher variability in support (‘expert opinions') decreased, indicating the importance of assessing and communicating the knowledge basis. A proper integration across biological disciplines seems essential for the field's transition from affirming patterns to understanding mechanisms and making robust predictions regarding future consequences of shifting phenologies

Proportions of the aesthetic African-Caribbean face : idealized ratios, comparison with the golden proportion and perceptions of attractiveness

Abstract Background In the absence of clear guidelines for facial aesthetic surgery, most surgeons rely on expert intuitive judgement when planning aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. One of the most famous theories regarding “ideal” facial proportions is that of the golden proportion. However, there are conflicting opinions as to whether it can be used to assess facial attractiveness. The aim of this investigation was to assess facial ratios of professional black models and to compare the ratios with the golden proportion. Methods Forty photographs of male and female professional black models were collected. Observers were asked to assign a score from 1 to 10 (1 = not very attractive, 10 = very attractive). A total of 287 responses were analysed for grading behaviour according to various demographic factors by two groups of observers. The best graded photographs were compared with the least well-graded photographs to identify any differences in their facial ratios. The models’ facial ratios were calculated and compared with the golden proportion. Results Differences in grading behaviour were observed amongst the two assessment groups. Only one out of the 12 facial ratios was not significantly different from the golden proportion. Conclusions Only one facial ratio was observed to be similar to the golden proportion in professional model facial photographs. No correlation was found between facial ratios in professional black models with the golden proportion. It is proposed that an individualistic treatment for each ratio is a rather better method to guide future practice